Behind the Specs
by thenerdiestprincess
Summary: Jane "Specs" Alverson is sick of watching people she loves die. That's why she joined the Starship Rangers! But will Krayonder make her spectrometer readings go up the wazoo? Spayonder with some Tup because I love them.
1. New Glasses

**A/N: **So here's my story about Specs from Starship. I feel like her character has very little back story, and as a nerdy girl myself I really relate to her. This will become a Spayonder fic, just an fyi.

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"But Mommy, I don't want to get glasses," the five year old whined. Her mother just patted her head absentmindedly.

"I know Janie, but you have to be able to see, otherwise the robots will just snatch you up right away. And you have to stay safe. I don't know what I would do if I lost you," her mother trailed off. Miranda Alverson had been extremely overprotective ever since her husband died in the robot wars, but any and every parent that was still alive kept their children within arm's reach nowadays. It was hard to find people alive who remembered a time when the Earth wasn't under the robots control.

The Alverson family lived underground, in a hidden compound for the human resistance. There were a few of them around, but their numbers were slowly dwindling. It seemed like the robot wars would never end.

"But Mommy, why do I have to get those glasses?" Jane asked. The frames her mother held would have looked fine perched atop an old man's nose, but they held no appeal to the little girl. Her mother sighed.

"Janie, be grateful that you're getting glasses at all. Most of the industrial materials are going to the war effort. Commander Jones was nice enough to allow you this old pair and new lenses. Now, do you want to be able to see or not?" Miranda said, coming off a bit sharper with her young daughter than she intended.

"I'm sorry," the little girl said in a small voice. "Thank you, Mommy. I love you." Jane grabbed the glasses from her mother and put them on. "Hey, I can see perfectly!"

Miranda smiled. "Go play with your brother and the other children and do not leave the compound. I'm going to Mr. Jacobs fix the engine to his hovercraft again. Dinner is laid out for you and Danny at home. Don't wait up for me." With that, Miranda kissed her small daughter on the head and watched as she skipped away.

Jane spotted her brother and some other children playing ball in a small open field mostly shielded by a gigantic boulder. "Hey! Hey, Danny!" she yelled, but he didn't hear her. Janee took off at a run towards him. She noticed that they had found a ball from Dead-God knows where.

"Hey!" she yelled again, now standing directly behind Danny. He jumped and swore.

"Jesus, Janie. Don't scare me like that," Dan Alverson Jr. told his younger sister. He was only thirteen, but hard work and stress made him look much older. Recently, his voice had started getting deeper, which only made him sound more like his dead father.

"I yelled your name. It's not my fault you didn't hear me," Jane retorted, sticking out her tongue. Danny sighed. She was such a child. But if she wanted to toss around petty insults, two could play that game.

"Nice glasses. I think they suit ya, Specs," he said teasingly. The look on her face told him he had struck a nerve.

"Don't call me that, Danny," his kid sister whined. Danny's eyes brightened wickedly.

"Whatever you say, Specs," he said chortling. His best friend, who had now grown frustrated that Danny was chatting with his little sister rather than throwing the ball, yelled at him to hurry up.

"Sorry!" Danny yelled back. "I was just chatting with Specs here about her shiny new glasses." He smirked when she scowled up at him angrily.

"Well, quit chatting with Specs and throw the Dead-Goddamn ball!" Ricky shouted, kicking at the dirt with the sole of his well-worn shoe.

"Don't call me that," Jane grumbled quietly so that only Danny could hear her. She was afraid of the other kids, especially Ricky. He had once left the compound and come face to face with a robot and bashed its head in with a rock. He was incredibly tough, not to mention intimidating to a scrawny five year old like Specs.

"Too late now. Looks like it's stuck," Danny said with a cheerful smirk. Jane gave him the dirtiest of looks before scampering off to go look at bugs that were crawling around in the dirt. She liked to look at them because they were so different from her. Specs wondered if they were worried about the robot wars too.

She had been half-playing, half watching her brother's kickball game when she noticed a dark, hulking form outside the fence. It was gray, so her mind automatically jumped to robot. And yet it walked exactly like a human. Specs ran to go get her brother as well as the rest of the big kids. They would know what the thing was and whether to tell their parents.

"Danny," she shrieked. Her brother was so startled by her yell that he nearly pitched the one good ball they had right over the fence.

"What is it now, Janie!" Danny yelled, briefly forgetting her new name. He turned around to face his little sister with an absolutely murderous look on his face.

"There's something coming this way. It kinda looks like a person," Specs said quietly. Danny abruptly forgot about his anger. He motioned toward Ricky.

"Specs thinks she saw something coming this way. It could be a human, but robot technology is advancing so quickly that they could have made humanoid robots to try and trick us. Ricky and I are going to get a closer look." Danny gestured to the oldest girl in their group who looked about fifteen. "Izzy, you keep an eye on the kids." The older girl nodded and picked up a large rock while the smaller children excluding Specs huddled around her.

Danny turned toward his little sister. "You're staying here." She let all of her breath out in a huff.

"No. I wanna see what it is." Even though she was a tiny girl of five, Specs looked rather tough in that moment; with her feet spread apart and her arms crossed, she seemed ready to fight.

Danny sighed. If he made her stay back, she would just follow him. She had done it before. He pulled out his old pocket knife, and ignoring Ricky's cry of indignation, handed it to the little girl. Danny looked his little sister straight in the eyes.

"If you can tell it's a robot, turn around and run. Don't worry about me, okay?" Danny told her and Specs nodded up at him. He knew she wouldn't do it, but hopefully she wouldn't have to. He trusted Specs judgment on the thing. She was observant, even as young as she was, in a way he could never be.

"Hey," a ten year old named Riley said, shifting her feet. "Maybe we should go get the grownups." she seemed nervous, as if they were all going to make fun of her.

Ricky snorted. "They won't be around to fight the robots for us forever. We have to learn. That's why I'm joining the League, just like my dad." Ricky's father had lost both of his legs to the robots and now designed weapons for the League from his wheelchair. With that, he wandered toward the section of fence where Specs had seen the thing. Danny followed him closely, and Specs trailed after her brother. Her small pink tennis shoes left heart-shaped marks in the sand.

It didn't take long for them to spot the figure Specs had seen. It had gotten much closer to the compound, but it was now lying flat. It looked an awful lot like a young man lying face down in the dirt. It didn't move. Danny wondered if it was pretending or if it had really died. Ricky immediately put his knife between his teeth and began scaling the fence. The fence used to have electricity going through it, but now the robots would just absorb that and make themselves more powerful. After a moment of hesitation, Danny followed before giving a meaningful look at Specs. It said, _Don't follow_. He needn't have bothered; Specs was far too small to climb the fence. She wondered how the two boys would get the man over.

Danny approached the form. It was a man-no, more like a boy. He couldn't have been that much older than Danny himself. Ricky tapped the man on the shoulder, but he didn't move. He pointed to the man, and then at Ricky's water bottle. The pair of them wanted to be quiet in case there were any robots nearby. Most of them could sense sound waves.

Unscrewing the cap, Danny prepared to dump some of his precious water on the man. He figured a shock would be best, so he poured it directly on the man's face. It worked, the man opened a eye and asked in a hoarse voice, "You got any more of that?"

Danny nodded. "Can you stand?" he asked the stranger. The man considered it, and with an intense amount of effort, pushed himself on his feet. He nearly toppled over again, but the two boys each grabbed an arm. They began walking with him to the fence. The stranger nearly tripped three times, but Danny and Ricky both pulled him up when that happened.

Specs was staring at the three of them with wide eyes. The man looked back at her with some trepidation. "Is she the best backup y'all have got?" he groaned.

"No," Danny hissed. "There are adults here; they're just over this fence. You're going to have to climb it somehow." The three children all shared a worried look. The man seemed to take it in stride.

"No problem. I can handle it. I'm going to join the Starship Rangers you know, and kill all the robots." He nearly keeled over again, a small grin on his lips.

"Aren't you a little young to be a Starship Ranger?" Specs asked innocently. The teenager bristled.

"I am sixteen. And I've already fought a few robots. They gave me this," he said, rolling up his right sleeve and showing them a large cut on his arm, "but I killed 'em all."

"Look, mister. Can you climb the fence or not?" Ricky asked, growing impatient. This boy may have killed robots, but he was dehydrated and losing blood quickly. If any robots were to find them at that very moment, none of them would have stood a fighting chance.

"I'm here to get the job done!" The guy yelled deliriously and began climbing the fence. Specs looked up at him worriedly and moved several feet back. It was a lucky thing she did too; as soon as the wannabe Starship Ranger went over the top, he fell right off and hit the ground.

"I'm okay," he mumbled, but he didn't try to peel himself up off the ground. The other boys climbed the fence eagerly and half-carried, half-dragged the man towards the main building of the compound. They didn't have to go far; waiting inside the door was every adult who could be torn away from their work. The nurse started yelling instructions to the strongest men, who were loading the semi-conscious youth onto a makeshift stretcher.

Miranda Alverson walked over to her children. She grabbed Specs by the hand and Danny by the ear. He began whining at her to stop until he caught the look on her face. It held some anger, but mostly fear. Danny didn't know what she was afraid of. They were totally fine and hadn't seen any robots.

"You're gonna get it," Ricky whispered as the two of them were pulled away. Danny ignored him, but Specs turned around and stuck her tiny tongue out at him. So much for being Dead-Goddamn heroes.

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**A/N:**Bonus points if you know who the boy is. I'll probably post the next chapter this weekend, but it could be later because I have SATS.


	2. Remembering Dad

**A/N: **Thank you everyone who reviewed! New chapter a day early, just for you! Please review, it makes me happy!

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Miranda dragged her children to the small former storm cellar that led to their home. The place was completely encased in cement. The walls had been painted a hideous shade of bubblegum pink by their original occupants that, no matter how many times their mother had tried to scrape it off, lingered and made the room seem like a bizarre cross of panic room and nursery. There was a red and gold plaid couch covered with an ancient green afghan in the corner. The table, which was surrounded by four different types of lawn chair, was missing a leg and was propped up with a rather unstable two by four that made the table slant just the slightest bit.

The main focus of the room was a beautiful old quilt which rested across the full sized bed. Miranda had packed it in her bag when the robots invaded her hometown and carried it from North Carolina all the way out to...wherever they were. Town and even state boundaries were fuzzy because most of the signs had been taken by either the humans or the robots as scrap metal for weapons or more robots. Besides, any survivors nowadays only cared if their location was devoid of robots.

"Do you know how your father died?" Miranda asked in a quiet voice. She spoke in a dull monotone, but her either body was shaking. Danny and Specs were more afraid of her calmness than anything she could have screamed at them. They had only ever seen her like this one time: the day Commander Jones had come back from fighting a battle, the battle that would have severely crippled the robots, the battle they lost and told Miranda that her husband and the father of her children was dead.

"The robots got him," Danny mumbled, a tear trickling out of the corner of his eye. It had happened a year and a half ago. Specs just blinked up at them. Obviously, she had seen pictures of her father and she had spent time with him, but she hadn't even been three when he left to go fight for the pockets of humanity that still tried to live life before the robots came. Her most vivid memory of him was during his last visit before he went off to battle for another three months. It went a little something like this:

"Dad!" Danny yelled as a large man with a long white scar across his left cheek entered the the house. He ran up to his father and hugged him, while Jane lingered back. Her mother had recently begun lecturing her on stranger danger, and while she knew this man was her father, she couldn't be too sure because in the pictures he didn't have a scar.

But when her father called her name and opened his arms out for a big bear hug, the little girl approached him cautiously. Jane, lacking the knowledge of tact and manners that came with years of practice blurted out, "What happened to your face?" The man chuckled.

"That's a good story. Danny, fetch me something to drink and then get over here. I'm going to tell you and your sister a story," Thomas Alverson sank back onto the sofa and rubbed his temples. Danny hurried over to the box where a single can of coke rested. It had cost nearly a week of Mr. Alverson's wages, but they could make some of it back by selling the empty can to the League. Miranda hurried over with a slightly warm turkey sandwich. It certainly wasn't the fanciest or the most delicious meal that had ever existed, but Thomas ate slowly, savoring every bite.

"Well now, where was I? Ah yes, the scar on my face. I was going through this old building after the robots had torched the city, looking for survivors. I'm in the kitchen, right. I've already cased the joint; nothing that will attack me. Then, outta nowhere, the toaster, of all things starts getting bigger. Faster than I can blink, it's transformed into a robot. Lots of robots did this in the beginning of the uprising, but that was when they were focused on stealth. I had just assumed none were left. And that's when I learned to never underestimate my enemy. Keep note of that, Danny," Thomas added, halting his story to impart wisdom on the son he hardly saw who somehow still thought he was amazing.

"What about your face?" Jane prompted. She wasn't the most patient of people, and this trait had continued long after her childhood.

"I'm getting to that, Janie. Anyway, he managed to slash me right across the face before I had prepped my zapper. I used that to my advantage, though. This old robot couldn't tell if its prey was dead, so I faked it until it had turned around. Then I shot him right through the head," Thomas ended proudly. Miranda smiled and rested her hand in his. Danny continued staring at his father with utmost admiration. Jane reluctantly cracked a smile when her father ruffled her long gingery curls.

He had been called on his urgent mission two days later.

"Yes, the robots got him. That's the most common cause of death nowadays. Everyone's gotta be a hero. Especially your father. The robots finally got him when he was trying to save a few children that were hiding out in their old school. He had managed to free one when burning roof collapsed. If he hadn't tried to be such a damn hero, he would have lived and he wouldn't have left me all alone!" Miranda was shrieking hysterically now. "Maybe if I had been a better wife..." she broke off. She had just remembered that these were her children. Her emotions couldn't slip out in front of them; she had to maintain a strong front, no matter how fake it was.

She breathed out a gusty sigh. "Just, don't be afraid to put yourself first. Don't risk your lives for other people. Leave that to the Rangers. Without you two, I'd be all alone." She sighed again, though it was less intense this time. "Dinners ready. Eat up, then we'll go to bed." Miranda sank down onto the dusty couch and rubbed her temples.

Danny helped Specs get a bowl of the gritty pasta. It was thick, with a weak sauce and chunks of carrots interspersed throughout. The dish tasted mushy; their mother had forgotten that it was boiling when she rushed to assure Danny and Specs were okay. They ate slowly, not speaking to one another. Once they were finished, they rinsed their bowls in a pail of slightly murky water that sat in the corner and climbed into bed. Miranda climbed in between them and she began singing an old lullaby that her grandmother had sang to her before the robots got her and tore her apart before her very eyes. It made her drowsy as well, and soon all three of the remaining Alversons were asleep.

This didn't last long. Specs woke up to the sound of a baby crying a few hours later. She had always been a light sleeper. Quietly, she crept out of her home and into the main tunnel. Specs was headed to the infirmary. Her curiosity regarding the boy they found today compelled her to walk to the infirmary. The light was on and the boy was sitting up in his bed despite the late hour. Specs quickly ducked behind the medicine cabinet before the boy saw her. Just a few minutes later, the nurse walked in.

Her name was Molly, and she was quite young and beautiful. She had orange-gold hair and bright blue eyes. She was engaged to a Starship Ranger who was away fighting at the moment. Molly missed him like crazy; she could be heard telling her patients all about him whether they wanted to hear it or not. The teenage sat up straighter in his bed when she looked at him.

"Oh, good. You're finally awake. Here's some water," Molly said hurriedly to the boy. He wagged his eyebrows at her.

"Thanks, Toots. I am so humbled that you would take care of little old me in this fine establishment. I got this terrible injury fighting the robots. Did you know I'm in training to be a Starship Ranger?" he said in the most suave voice he knew. Molly stared at him for a few seconds, and then burst out laughing.

"Really? Kid, I've turned down soldiers braver and more handsome than you. And I've seen injuries that make yours look like a paper cut. But I admire your confidence. I'll go get you some food. You must be delirious with hunger to try to put the moves on an engaged woman," Molly waved goodbye, the smallest of diamonds winking in the dull lamplight from her engagement ring. Specs could still hear her chortling down the hall.

The boy sighed, and put his hands behind his head. He took the rejection in stride, it seemed. The blow was lessened by the fact that he would get food soon. Come to think of it, he was absolutely famished...

Just then, a tiny face with big glasses peered around a large cabinet in the corner of the room next to the door. The boy was immediately on his shaky feet and instinctively reached for his zapper when he saw it sitting across the room.

"Who's there?" he asked in a low, deadly face peeked out again, and this time he could see that it was attached to the body of a small girl. He sank back onto his bed, keeping his eyes on her.

"What's your name and why are you here?" the boy asked irritably. The last thing he needed was the tiny girl who had "rescued" him to start following him around like a lost puppy.

"People call me Specs," she snapped, "And I was only making sure you were all right." She went to leave in a huff, but the boy sighed.

"Wait," he said, already regretting his harsh words. He would never become a respected Starship Ranger if people didn't look to him to provide a good example. "I'm Up, and thanks for caring enough to check on me. You're probably the only person that does. Care, that is. About me," Up was rambling, but it had been so long since he had been able to really talk to someone. The girl-Specs-turned around, arching her eyebrows.

"Your name is Up?" she asked skeptically.

Up nodded quietly, wondering where this was heading.

"Do you have any other names?" Specs asked. She was one to talk! Her name was based on a physical feature of hers.

Up shook his head quickly. Not anymore. That time in his life was past him. Up would do, as far as names went.

"You're weird," the child said, deciding that she had satisfied her curiosity enough for one night. Her mother would notice she was gone. Specs exited the ward, not looking back at the patient who was only starting to acknowledge how lonely he was.

**A/N: **You were all right, it is Up! Sorry this chapter isn't very plot-centered, I wanted to focus on Specs relationship with her dad because it is crucial to the story.


	3. Finding Cheese

**A/N:** Hi guys! Sorry I am about three days late with this chapter, I had literally no motivation to write after the AP US History exam! And Saturday night I saw the Avengers, which was amazing and hilarious. I'm a huge Joss Whedon fan. So yeah, here's chapter 3, please review! They motivate me.

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No one paid much attention to the little girl who walked at a brisk pace through the hall of one of the main tunnels. Then again, the survivors of the little community didn't pay much attention to anything anymore. They were too busy putting one foot in front of the other, trying to forget how much they had lost.

There was no one alive that remembered a time before the robots. It had been more than a hundred years since the devilish machines had taken over the planet, and the number of small sections of the globe where humans still lived freely was shrinking every day. The underground community seemed to be unique; that is, the inhabitants had never heard of another existing. The project had been funded by what used to be the United States government, way back in the 1960s when nuclear attacks were a constant threat. Now though, so many years later, the place was falling apart. The population tried to ignore this, as they did everything else. At this point, some of them thought even living was a battle they were losing.

This fog of depression and apathy gave Specs the cover she needed to creep to the very back of the tunnel where food was kept. There was supposed to be a guard stationed there at all times to ensure that no one stole and food, but after so many years any food left inside was not really worth taking unless the other option was starvation. Sometimes, if you were lucky, a piece of bread or an apple that was only halfway molded would be hidden behind an empty crate, missed by previous looters. Specs was counting on this.

She had been searching for about a half hour when she spotted a piece of cheese that was still mostly wrapped in plastic. Quickly grabbing it, Specs hurried back to hospital ward. She tripped on a small clump of dirt and almost released the cheese from her grasp, but a hand clutched the back of her shirt. Whoever it was propped her back on her feet. Specs turned around, wondering who her rescuer was, and then scowled.

"Where are you going in a such a rush, Specs?" Riley asked her suspiciously. Specs tried to hide the cheese from him, and this did not escape his notice. "Whatcha got there?" Riley said, craning his neck to try and see what Specs had shoved under her elbow.

"None of your business!" Specs yelled in reply to both questions. Turning on her heel, she scampered off and hoped that Riley wouldn't follow her. He would have if his father's gruff voice hadn't sounded out inside the old, half-buried shed that was their home.

"Who's there, boy?" Riley turned his back inside when he heard the creak of his father's wheelchair.

"No one," he said quietly, entering the room to help his father with whatever he needed to avoid getting hit. Again.

Meanwhile, Specs had slowed her running slightly. Most of the survivors were walking vegetables, but her urgency would have been noticed by even them. Stuffing the cheese inside her shirt, she crept into the ward, over to the bed where Up had been lying.

He wasn't there. The bed was stripped down to the bare mattress. Molly looked down at the disappointed little girl. "He left. Ran off to join the Starship Rangers. He could barely stand, but he insisted. Wouldn't stop howling until I gave in and let him leave. Besides, Tom told me that the medical technicians on those starships are practically miracle workers. They've got ways of healing people that I can only dream about down here," Molly said wistfully, fiddling with her diamond.

Specs shoulders slumped. All she wanted was a friend; someone who was nice to her and would talk to her. Of course, Danny did, but he was her brother and hardly counted. All the other children thought she was weird for wanting to explore the world, rather than hunkering down in their safe den.

But even though the mere thought of a robot terrified Specs, she was still incredibly fascinated by them. Maybe if the humans could understand the robots, they would be able to defeat them. Specs considered the robots a puzzle, and she loved a good puzzle.  
Suddenly, a man came in. Specs didn't know his name, but she knew he was one of the big fighters that all looked the same because they were covered with dirty and wounds in various states of scarring. He was carrying a small bundle that Specs at first thought was scavenged food, but turned out to be a little boy under closer inspection. He was so emaciated it was hard to tell his age. Specs peered at him. His eyes were closed, and she wondered if he was dead.

The tiny boy's eyes flew open and seeing Specs mere inches from his own, let out a yell and clawed her face away. His sharp nails left tiny scratches on her nose. The sound of his yell alerted Molly that he was awake, and she shooed Specs away. Specs did move some, but she lingered in the doorway, trying to get a good look at him.

Molly asked him his name in a soothing voice. The boy did not respond to that question or any of the ones that followed. Specs wondered if he could talk or if he chose not to. Maybe he was stupid and couldn't understand words. Carefully, she hid behind the very same cabinet she had the previous night and waited for Molly to leave the room to get something.

She walked over to the boy's bed. He stared at the ceiling even after Specs cleared her throat so he would know she was right next to him. His blue eyes flicked over to her for the briefest of moments before returning to his study of the ceiling. Frustrated, Spec grabbed his head and faced it towards hers. Her task was made more difficult by his struggling, but he eventually went limp and stared blankly at her as if he was still gazing at the ceiling.

Specs frowned. Teaching him would be more difficult than she had initially thought. She took off her glasses and pointed at them. "Glasses," she said, slowly and clearly. The boy continued to stare at her. "Glasses," she said again, in the same voice. The boy twitched slightly, and then quickly pushed her over on the floor. He barely spared her a look, continuing to look at the ceiling even though she had started to wail.

Molly, concerned that her patient was in pain, dropped the plate of food she had been making him back onto the counter and hurried into the room. She saw her patient, seemingly unmoved since she had exited the room, and Specs sprawled out on the floor, glasses held protectively in one hand. Tears were forming at the edge of her eyes. She watched the little girl place the glasses on her nose and storm out of the room, calling back, "I was trying to help!"

The next day, Specs returned to the hospital ward. Molly wasn't in the room, but the boy was. He was still studying that damn ceiling. Specs sat in a decrepit, old chair across the room from him. She glared silently for a few minutes, considering her words carefully. Even though the boy had not been nice to her in any way, she still wanted a friend.

"That wasn't nice," Specs mumbled, breaking the silence, "what you did to me, I mean." As per usual, the boy didn't respond. But Specs was determined. "I forgive you for it, though. Because we're, or we could be, friends. I mean, I haven't really got any. All the other kids think I'm weird, and I figured you were too, maybe. Because you don't really talk. Or look at people. Oh yeah, my name's Jane, but most everybody calls me Specs. It's because I have big glasses. They help me see," she babbled. The kid on the bed did not even look at her. She frowned slightly, but pressed on talking.

"My daddy was a member of the Starship Rangers until the robots got him. There was another boy here before you. He was older. He went to join the Starship Rangers. Do you know what those are? They're trying to stop the robots. They go up into space. My brother told me he wants to be a Starship Ranger like Daddy, but he doesn't think Mommy will let him." Specs said wildly. She hadn't realized how hard it was to talk at something.

Out of nowhere, the boy rolled onto his side. His eyes focused on Specs and she froze. She hadn't expected he would respond so quickly. He opened his mouth and croaked out two words in a deadpan voice.

"Go away."

Specs blinked. She was trying to be nice to him by talking to him when no one else would, and it turned out that he hated her so much that he would break his vow of silence just to tell her that he wanted her nowhere near him. Tears started falling as Specs turned around and hurried out of the room, running fast enough that no one could focus on her face.

It wasn't until she had gotten home that Specs realized that she had dropped her precious cheese. he let out a deep sigh, and walked slowly back to the ward. Specs kept her eyes on her feet the entire time, trying to spot the piece of cheese. She didn't see it anywhere on the walk back. Stretching onto her toes, she peered through the small window into the ward. She did not want to see the little boy again because he had just told her to leave.

The boy was sitting up, but Molly was nowhere in sight. And then Specs saw something that made her push open the door, screeching loudly.

"THAT'S MINE!" She shouted. The boy had her cheese. He didn't seem startled by the sound of her voice; he didn't even flinch. He continued to gobble her cheese, and swatted her hand away when she tried to pull it away from him. Unfortunately for Specs, that's the exact moment that Molly decided to walk in.

"Specs!" the nurse admonished. Specs pouted, and gestured to the real criminal in the room.

"He took it from me! It's mine! I found it and he took it!" Specs said in a whiny screech. Molly sighed and rubbed her temples. She had not signed up for this. Molly would rather handle the grisly traumas of war than arguing children.

"Did you take it from her?" she asked the yet-unnamed boy, not really expecting him to answer. To her surprise, he mumbled a hoarse retort.  
"No. Found it. On the ground," he pointed to the presumed corner of the room. This only riled Specs up more. She began jumping up and down.

"I dropped it there and you TOOK IT!" She finished in a scream. Looking back, Specs would have no idea exactly why she was so angry, except that the boy who had been so mean to her got her cheese that she worked so hard to find.

"Didn't know it was yours," he muttered back. Molly tried to referee the two children, even though she was terrible when it came to conflict.

"Specs, he didn't mean to take it, so apologize for shouting at him." Molly commanded. The girl gave her the most livid look, but complied. Her apology sounded incredibly forced, and the murderous look did make it seem less genuine, but the boy did seem to accept it.

"Now," Molly started before she realized that she did not know the small boy's name. "What is your name? I don't think you told me," she said kindly. The little boy stiffened, and his eyes filled with an unrecognizable expression.

"Dalton," he choked out. Molly wanted to ask him why he seemed to be afraid of his own name, but she was also worried that if she overwhelmed him with questions he would revert back to his shell-shocked state. Specs had somehow managed to break down his wall.

"Well then, Dalton, would you please apologize to Specs for eating her cheese?" Molly wheedled, hoping to get the little girl out of her hospital so she could feed Dalton a bit more. The boy was practically a skeleton.

"Sorry," he said, shrugging. He sounded a shade more sincere than Specs, but the stubborn girl just glared at him.

"I do not accept," she said sulkily. Finally at the end of her rope, Molly nudged the little girl and gave her a death glare in return. Specs sighed, and managed to get out, "Fine. I forgive you, I guess," before rushing out of the hospital ward. Molly sighed again, this time running her fingers through her hair.

"Okay Dalton, how's about I get you some better food than that half-molded cheese?"

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**A/N: **What, an OC? Gasp, no! Don't worry, Spayonder lovers (myself included) you'll get your time. Sorry I draw things out. Hopefully the next chapter will have some more action.


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